Class 6A
Derby took care of business in the first game, winning 9-0.
In the semifinal, they would meet Blue Valley North, who ended their title hopes with a 5-2 win.
Derby would fall again in the third-place game 8-1 against Lawrence Free State.
Class 5A
Bishop Carroll won their final two games of the season by a combined two runs.
“It wasn’t without hiccups along the way, but these boys found a way,” coach Charles Ebright said. “They believed in each other and played for each other.”
Bishop Carroll knocked off Eisenhower 4-3 in the semifinals and De Soto 7-6 in the state championship game.
Eisenhower finished fourth place after losing to St. Thomas Aquinas 11-1.
Class 3A
Wichita Collegiate went back-to-back in dramatic fashion as they knocked off Columbus with a grand slam from Brady Hunt.
“Before Brady came up to bat, they had a mound visit. We always tell the boys the best pitch they are going to see is the first one after a mound visit. Coach Mike Gehrer pulled Brady aside and told him, “This is the moment he has been dreaming about since he was a little kid playing wiffle ball in the backyard. Coach Joe is going to give you the green light, and you’re going to hit the home run that wins this for us,” and then he goes out and does it! When the ball left his bat, I remember saying did he just do it? Did he do it?” coach Joe Gehrer said.
Hunt’s heroics helped get Collegiate the 6-4 win and back-to-back state championship.
